Foam skimmer



Jan. 3, 1950 H. A. SCHMITZ, JR

FOAM SKIMMER Filed Jan. 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 3, 1950 H. A.SCHMITZ, JR

FOAM sK I MMER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, L946 fzzf en/ 2 Henry )4625229, J:

fl arney 'a tank that provides Patented Jan. 3, 1956 UNITED STATESPATENT ()FFICE FOAM SKIMMER Henry A. Schmitz, Jn, Shorewood, Wis.,assignor to A. 0. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation ofNew York Application January 24, 1946, Serial No. 643,166

3 Claims. '1

Thisinvention relates to a foam skimmer and has particular relation to afoam skimmer for. a

to catch scum and foam from the liquid being fermented in the tank.

Another object is to provide a receptacle to receive and retain foam andscum that does not decrease the fermenting space within the tank.

A further-object is to provide a receptacle for skimming foam off fromfermentedliquid within for ready removal of the foam.

Another object is to provide afoam skimmer permitting removal of foamand scum while the tank is in operation.

These and other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter inconnection with the following description and the accompanying drawingillustrating the invention.

In the drawing;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the foam skimmer of theinvention and a portion of a tank with the door to the skimmerreceptacle in closed position;

Fig. 2is a similar view with the door open;

Fig. 3 is an end view with the door closed;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with parts broken away and sectioned with thedoor closed and the skimmer receptacle welded to the front wall;

and r Fig. -5-is a top diagonal view of the tank with the door open andthe skimmer receptacle welded to the front and side walls of the tank.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a portion of a tank I,such as a beer tank, lined with ceramic enamel 2 or the like to preventinjury to the beer and corrosion by the contents of the tank and withinwhich at one end and adjacent the top 3 thereof, is assembled a skimmerreceptacle 4 access to which is gained by the closure door 5.

The receptacle 4 is secured to one side of the tank a substantialdistance below the top 3 and directly beneath the cleanout opening 6closed by door 5. Opening 6 also is employed to work through ifreceptacle 4 is coated with ceramic enamel or the like.

The skimmer receptacle is formed from suit able metal and comprises aplate that is joined to the front wall of the tank I such as by welds I,

2 and projects inwardly from the wall of the tank. Receptacle 4 is shownas. being of stainless steel but it may .be a receptacle protected fromcorrosion by a coating of ceramic enamel.

The inner end portion 8 of the receptacle 4 curves upwardly and thesides 9 are also upwardly curved. The peripheral edge I0 is disposedslightly above the normal level of the fermenting liquid containedwithin the tank and is at a level at which scum and foam forced upwardlywithin the liquid in the fermenting process will flow over the same andbe caught and retained within receptacle 4.

A drain opening is provided in the bottom of receptacle 4 and theremovable plug. II is disposed therein to permit draining and cleaningof the receptacle when tank I is empty.

The receptacle 4 is preferably formed with a slight slope in the bottomportion toward the cleanout opening 6 and the drain to more readilyprovide for cleaning out the receptacle or draining of the receptaclewhen plug I I' is removed.

The openingt orentrance to receptacle 4 is closed in operation by thedoor 5 when liquid is fermenting in the tank.

Thedoor 5 is held securely against the inside of the wall of the tankaround opening 6 by a plurality of latches I2 which are pivoted to theouter wall of the tank adjacent opening 6 and disposed to interlock withthe matching lugs 13 secured to the'door. The handle on each latch I 2provides for ready manipulation thereof.

The joint between the door and wall is sealed by a suitable gasket M ofrubber or the like.

A curved lever arm 15 is securedat one end to the center of door 5 andat the other end the arm is pivoted to the wall of tank I at a suitabledistance above the door and on a vertical line through the centerthereof.

A handle 16 extends outwardly of the upper portion of arm l5 and isgrasped and pushed upwardly by the operator to swing door 5 closedthrough a downward are, or pulled downwardly to push the door open andupwardly through an upward arc.

A pipe !1 leads from receptacle 4 to any suitable container, not shown,and foam trapped in the receptacle when liquid is fermenting in the tankis drained off by opening stopcock l8.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 is similar to theembodiment previously described, except that the skimmer receptacle 4extends completely across the tank and is welded to the front and sidewalls of the tank by welds I9. The tank walls cooperate withreceptacle 4fermentiii to retain the foam and scum within the receptacle until thefoam is removed.

In operation, the liquid to be fermented is disposed in tank I through asuitable opening not shown, until it reaches a level slightly below thatof the inner peripheral edge H] of the skimmer receptacle 47.

The cleanout opening 6 is, closed by door 5 which is sealed against theinnerwall of the tank by gasket l4 when latches l2 are interlocked 1 Aend to the outside of the tank wall above said with lugs l3.

As the contained liquid ferments scum andfoam are forced upwardlyandiiowover theedge 10 into receptacle 4.

From time to time stopcock I8 is opened and foam and scum is drainedfrom receptacle 4 through pipe 11 leading toa'nysuitable disposal unit.

When the fermentation of the liquid within the tank 5 qwn sted riangulas r m ve and k m r. r t ntatle. 4 maybet'q d through 5 to open position.

ii nlin s after wi' l liae ried to completely drain Plug] also be remharct pta e- "Othefopenings not shown, are provided in t g-1?to rsn'fangf n the tank when it is g i c. .l V

The invention providesa foam skimmer that dq nQtt Es; 1 an s bst n ia acWithin the wi h n Sai ,an 'ai ,flrg qti Plate dl 1 aroun'tl'theentire'iriner portion thereof an amine the. a z 'iia he s' i l ry'q hetion'of the receptaclebeing disposed slightly curl/61 c K w. H,

uter portionoithe' plate secured aldovet'heisurface tile rea ra g ngliquid within the-thine perin itfiow of-foain and scinn therewa st the.ts ta l sw a n m is ares o as enamh liquid mis menting process, meansproviding access into through openffig' in theft/s11 offthe tankdirectly'abov the'lbott m qf said receptacle; means to sea;"saidilattefr means clos'edwhen' theliquid is 4 namean stb tenetsfoamfr'om said rec'ptacl' hen"'the' tank; isf'seale'd duringfermenta'tionof liqi'iidt'hefe'jfi. V

2I"In"6oiribifia tiofn with'a closed fermenting tankfa foa'iii'skimmercomfirising'a receptacle welded to the insideof thetahkw'allbeneath an opening in the wall for access thereto for cleanout purposesand projecting inwardly a substantial distance from the wall with theinner edge slightly above the surface of the liquid fermenting withinthe tank to permit overflow into the receptacle of foam and scum forcedto the surface, of the liquid in, the fermentation process, a door onthe inside of said tank for closing said opening, a' curved lever armsecured at one end to said door and pivoted at the other opening toswing said door inwardly to open the sameand outwardlyto close the same,a plurality of latclilme rnbers to" lock said door in closedpositiqriiwhenliquidfis fermenting within the tank, and a drain pipeleading from said receptacle to drain foam andsciim therefrom when thetank is sealedduring fermenting of liquid therein.

'combination with a closed fermenting film-e a 4, 2 S amme comp i aregeptacle weld o the insi e of the tank wall directly beneath janoning'in the wall 'rbr access thereto and projecting inwardly asubstantial distance f om th welli itn h nner edge slightly above he suac 9 the' l qu d ist'ma l within the tank to permit overflow intothefrjeceptacle of foam .andfscum forcedio the-surface of the liquidihthe fermentation process, said receptacle being formed with the bottom"sloping toward said opening and provided-with a removable plug in thebottom thereof for cleanout'p'urposes, and-a door disposed to sealsaid'opening and to swing awa thsrefirqm an q m ss to h receptacl 9 emval 921. nd m therefrom fat r he iquid fe men ed t n i removedtherefrom, and means to remove foam from said receptacle when the tankis sealed during fernr i atidz il ui e 'n- HENR -a, SC-HMITZ, JR.

REFERENCES; crrnn Numb?!

